Ventura County firefighters battled a 40-acre brush fire in the Simi Valley area on Wednesday evening.The fire was reported at 5:37 p.m. from Bannister Way and Wood Ranch Parkway, according to the county Fire Department’s website. The blaze had crossed a fire road, the website stated. It had burned 5 acres with winds of 5 to 10 mph, department spokesman Barry Parker said on Twitter at 6:08 p.m.